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CFS Evaluates Capital One Leadership Grant

As Co-PI's, CFS staff Mario Hernandez and Ruby Joseph will be evaluating the Capital One Leadership Grant (COLG). This project brings together five local not-for-profit agencies: Big Brothers Big Sisters, Corporation to Develop Communities, Francis House, Hillsborough County Center of Excellence and the National Conference for Community and Justice. As its main goal of identifying and implementing programs that promote resiliency in youth, COLG is committed to helping kids understand their potential by providing positive opportunities that help them expand their thinking and experiences.

The COLG in Tampa is the second collaborative project Capital One has recently funded that focuses on promoting better outcomes for youth. The leadership grant was first implemented in Richmond, Virginia, which is now in its fourth year of operation and still thriving. Capital One also has plans to establish a third leadership project in Dallas, Texas.

"We pledge to fulfill children's needs intellectually, emotionally and physically by uniting agencies that serve children and challenging them to work together," said Capital One President Nigel Morris. "Our commitment goes beyond funding and beyond volunteerism. We want to move the needle substantially by adding quality to the lives of children."

This year's evaluation will be conducted over an eighth-month period, May to December 2001. It will take a retrospective look at overall implementation of the project for the year 2000 and identify program accomplishments, challenges and lessons learned. Ruby and Mario plan to conduct a more comprehensive evaluation of the project in year 2002.

With the award of the evaluation contract (approximately $19,000) for the COLG Tampa site, staff will work directly with each of the agencies mentioned above.

"This project will provide another opportunity for CFS to connect with community-based agencies in our area," said Ruby Joseph. "We will be able to develop a new working relationship with a for-profit organization, such as Capital One, and at the same time be able to meet our goal of helping to improve outcomes for children and families."

"Mario agrees that developing and expanding our relationship with the community remains an important component of our research agenda," added Ruby. "Also, Larry Schwartz, who was instrumental in linking CFS to the Capital One Leadership grant, reports that this opportunity came about when a colleague of his in the University of South Florida Advancement Department, who was aware of the type of work that CFS does, informed him that Capital One was looking for an evaluator for one of its corporate grant programs. Larry sees even more opportunities for growth in the future and suggests that 'getting ones foot in the door will add much to future proposals.'"

Ruby and Mario agree and believe that this project may be the beginning of a more long-term CFS-Corporate partnership that centers on improving the lives of children. For additional information, contact Ruby Joseph at 813-974-9339.

The Department of Child and Family Studies (CFS) is a department of the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida. The faculty and staff of CFS are committed to enhancing the development, mental health and well-being of children and families through leadership in integrating research, theory & practice.

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